It’s Fri-YAY.! I hope your week went well and you have a relaxing weekend planned.
One of the hallmarks of my training programs is tracking.
I don’t track EVERYTHING, mind you. Just the stuff where improvement gets you the most bang for your buck or return on investment. Think squats, deadlifts, horizontal and overhead presses, bent-over rows … stuff like that.
Tracking your lifts is important because A) You can see your progress over time (or spot a plateau, and B) It saves you time and effort when you log in for a workout because you know exactly where to start and what the goal is for the day.
But as I’ve discussed many times, most people only have time for about 3 hours of training each week. That leaves 165 additional hours in the week.
What should you be tracking during that time?
Here are a few things I recommend tracking:
Water Intake: Most of us should be getting half of our bodyweight in ounces of water each day. But if you’re not tracking your daily intake, how do you know if you’re on track or off track?
Compliant Meals: Some people do great counting calories and macros. For most of us, it’s too tedious. So I ask my clients to check in each day with how many “compliant meals” they have each day. What’s a compliant meal? One that includes the appropriate amount of lean protein, vegetables, whole-grain/unprocessed carbs, and healthy fats. The portions are going to vary depending on your size, activity level, and goals. (Note: If you’re unsure what your portions should be, shoot me a reply and I’ll help you troubleshoot.)
Activity: There’s something satisfying about making an appointment for your training session, showing up, kicking butt, and then checking off that you did it. Also … if you go a few days in a row without physical activity, tracking it is a great way to stop the trend so you can get back on track.
Body Composition: You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on an InBody to measure your physical progress. I recommend that my clients record their weight, waist and hip measurements monthly, and also take monthly progress photos. Seeing your hard work pay off can be powerful motivation … and recognizing that you’re stuck is a signal that it’s time to chat with your coach and make some adjustments to your training program, nutrition, or recovery.
If you don’t track it, you can’t improve it. If you need help putting a tracking plan in place, reply back and let me know.
Your innie friend and coach,
Paul F. Sweatt CPT PN1
Train Smart. Train Hard. Train Safe. Train to Sweatt
P.S. – Whenever you’re ready, here are few ways I can help you get started with a fresh start to your health and fitness routine:
1. Set yourself up for success
If you’re currently trying to lose weight, alleviate back pain and/or improve your health & fitness, you should schedule a Success Session.
During your Success Session, we will walk through your entire fitness & nutrition plan and look for simple ways to accelerate your results. You’ll walk away with at least 3 new tips, fixes or strategies that can improve your progress by at least 50%.
If you’d like to schedule a Success Session, reply with ‘Success’ and I’ll get you all the details. You can also start scheduling one here